Discretionarily

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

  1. Depending on individual choice or judgment, with the ability to decide freely | Relating to actions taken at one’s own discretion or based on personal judgment | Pertaining to the freedom to make choices or decisions without external constraints
  2. Involving choices made based on personal judgment rather than fixed rules
  3. Relating to the freedom one has to make decisions at their own discretion

Etymology: The adverb in question traces its roots to the adjective "discretionary," which emerged in English during the early 17th century. This adjective itself derives from the noun "discretion," a word that entered English in the late Middle Ages from Old French "discretion," which came from Latin "discretio," meaning "separation" or "distinction." The Latin root "discernere" means "to separate, distinguish, or decide," capturing the sense of careful judgment or choice. "Discretionary" came to describe actions or powers that are left to individual judgment or choice rather than being fixed by rules or laws. This notion of personal judgment or latitude is central to the meaning, reflecting the ability to decide freely within certain bounds. The "-ary" suffix turns the noun "discretion" into an adjective indicating something pertaining to or characterized by discretion. Adding the adverbial suffix "-ly" to form the adverb gives a manner or mode of action—specifically, doing something according to one's own discretion or judgment. The resulting term conveys the idea of acting in a way that is governed by personal choice or prudent judgment rather than compulsion or strict directive. Thus, the adverb reflects a layered history of meaning, from the Latin concept of separating and distinguishing, through medieval notions of careful judgment, to the modern sense of acting according to individual decision. It entered English through the natural morphological process of affixation, extending the noun and adjective forms into a description of how an action is performed.

Synonyms: optionally, voluntarily, selectively, independently, freely

Antonyms: compulsorily, mandatorily, obligatorily, insistently, requiredly